Vanessa Růžičková: We enjoyed the moment to the full

This interview, taken by Jana Šejnohová, first appeared on the Dostihový svět website. Jana is a member of our editorial board, and we have translated many of her interviews into English.

She is her mother’s right hand, her best comrade, her fellow worker and her support. On the farm at Pohoří, which is in the highlands not far south of Prague, she runs a riding school in which she prepares her pupils for competitions in eventing and showjumping. Vanessa Růžičková, daughter of our best-known and probably most popular female steeplechase rider and trainer, Martina Růžičková. Vanessa is the girl who was the first to tame the temperament of Sexy Lord, this year’s winner of the Velka Pardubicka, and she accompanied him to the start of the race as his groom.

Vanessa, how did the preparations for this year’s Velka Pardubicka go in your home. Was the stress greater than in other years? Did everything go to plan, or did you frequently need to improvize?

This year’s preparations were in my mother’s control. I only helped out when there was something she couldn’t manage. On the big gallops I accompanied her on another horse. There was some stress, of course, mainly to make sure Lord didn’t pick up an injury before the race. We kept changing blankets and other gear, and after his work we checked every millimetre of him for scratches.  From the beginning of the season we were looking for a jockey for him, because Jarda Myška was committed to another horse. However, in the end Lord got the most sought-after jockey of all on his back.

It’s true – Jarda Myška’s one of the most experienced and best steeplechase jockeys in our country. What ambitions did you have when you set out for Pardubice?

We thought we might get into the prizemoney. After all, he’d shown his quality last year, and in this year’s qualification races he’d been up there with the best. But above all we wanted him to come home in full health after the race.

You accompanied Sexy Lord to the start as his groom. What was it like for you to take on this role? And how about your mother? Was she more nervous than on other occasions?

This is the third season that I’ve led Lord down to his races, and we have our own rituals before the race. This year, I’ve twice unfortunately not been able to accompany him for his races, but I’ve always at least been stuck to my telephone watching every step he takes. The way he is, it’s necessary to treat him a bit differently from other horses. On Velka day I took him for some water in the morning, and then I took him to spend some time in the pasture, and he paid me back for that by scorching my hand with the rein, and he almost got away from me. At that moment, I knew that he was ready and at full strength. Mum was nervous, certainly, but as she says herself – when I’m there with her she’s always much calmer. We ate together the evening before, and in spite of the nerves we tried to enjoy the weekend as much as possible. And it turned out successfully - with the cherry on the cake.

What were the first words when your mother and you embraced after the winning race?

I really don’t know. There was such euphoria after the endless wait for the official result [there was a wait of at least 15 minutes before the result was announced]. We both wept tears of joy, and we enjoyed that moment to the full. Before the ceremony, we both thanked Rudolf, and grandma and grandpa, and then we went over to enjoy the atmosphere.

Are you going to have some special celebration, or was what you experienced together something greater than any celebration?

We’re planning some small celebration with Mr Hora, Lord’s owner, who has believed in mum all along, but the feeling after the announcement of the result can never be surpassed by any kind of celebration event.

photos: Petr Guth and the archives of Dostihové stáje Pohoří